Canterbury Rugby Football Union
Rob Penney | | chairman = David Rhodes | | league = Air New Zealand Cup | season = 2006 | position = Quarter-finalists }} The '''Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU) is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region of New Zealand, and is affiliated with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. The team is based in Christchurch and plays home matches at AMI Stadium. Their historic colours are red and black, with today's jersey being mostly black with red hoops. Canterbury in Super Rugby Canterbury players make up the core of the Crusaders, the most successful team in the history of Super Rugby, with six overall wins in the competition's eleven seasons. Canterbury and the Crusaders also share the same home ground at AMI Stadium, and the same colours, red and black. Ranfurly Shield Canterbury are the current holders of the Ranfurly Shield, defeating Waikato by 33–20, only one week after Waikato took the shield from North Harbour. In their next home fixture in the Air New Zealand Cup, they successfully defended the "Log of Wood" against Hawke's Bay, winning 44–6. Canterbury's next defence will be against Auckland on 29 September in the final round of Air New Zealand Cup pool play. If successful, Canterbury will retain the Log until 2008, as the competition rules state that Shield challenges cannot take place during knockout rounds in either the Air New Zealand Cup or the country's second-tier domestic competition, the Heartland Championship. Representative Rugby Canterbury's senior side competes in the Air New Zealand Cup, the successor to the Premier Division of the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship (NPC). They won the NPC five times (1977, 1983, 1997, 2001, 2004). Canterbury made their exit in the quarter finals of the 2006 competition, losing 23-36 to Wellington. Notable players The union has produced countless players for New Zealand's storied national team, the All Blacks. This includes Andrew Mehrtens, who has the record for the most All Black Test points (967 in 70 Tests). Also of note is Justin Marshall who is the second most capped All Black of all time, with 81 Test caps. Both players now continue to play professionally in the United Kingdom. The current All Blacks backs coach is former Canterbury representative and All Black Wayne Smith. Former Current *Daniel Carter *Scott Hamilton *Leon MacDonald *Aaron Mauger *Richie McCaw *Caleb Ralph *Greg Somerville *Reuben Thorne *Mose Tuiali'i *Stephen Brett *Corey Flynn *Ben Franks *Tim Bateman *Wyatt Crocket *Rico Gear *Campbell Johnstone *Casey Laulala *Andrew Ellis *Johnny Leo'o *Kevin O'Neill *Michael Paterson *Isaac Ross *Kevin Senio *Paul Williams *Tyson Keats History In 1879, Canterbury Rugby Football Union was the first organised Rugby Union in New Zealand. This came to be after delegates from Christchurch and surrounding areas, such as Ashburton and Timaru met in Timaru to discuss a possible union. Later on, however, the southern areas (Timaru and Ashburton) broke away, forming their own unions (South Canterbury RFU and Ashburton County - later to be known as Mid Canterbury). Affiliated Clubs The following 52 clubs are affiliated to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union: *Amberley RFC *Ashley RFC *Banks Peninsula RFC *Belfast RFC *Burnham RFC *Burnside RFC *Canterbury Rugby Referees *Cheviot RFC *Christchurch RFC *Culverden RFC *Darfield RFC *Diamond Harbour RFC *Dunsandel Irwell RFC *Ellesmere Rugby Subunion *Glenmark RFC *High School Old Boys RFC *Hoon Hay Rugby *Hornby RFC *Hurunui RFC *Kaiapoi RFC *Kirwee RFC *Leeston RFC *Lincoln RFC *Linwood RFC *Lyttelton Rugby Combined Sports Club *Marist Albion RFC *Merivale-Lincoln University RFC *New Brighton RFC *North Canterbury JAB *Ohoka RFC *Otautahi RFC *Oxford RFC *Parklands RFC *Prebbleton RFC *Rangiora RFC *Rolleston RFC *Saracens Rugby Club *Selwyn RFC *Sheffield RFC *Shirley RFC *Southbridge RFC *Southbrook RFC *Springston RFC *Suburbs RFC *Sumner RFC *Sydenham RFC *United RFC *University Of Canterbury RFC *Waiau RFC - Canterbury *Waihora RFC *West Melton RFC *Woodend RFC Notes and references External links *Official site }}